08/04/2023
When boredom leads to… 
🌱🌿🪴🌳
When boredom leads to dissociation Vs distracted behaviours.
In the context of education, but this can be written from other perspectives too.
Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with boredom in moderation, and certainly it can be a positive thing if we are at liberty to explore to alleviate any boredom.
Also, dissociation isn’t a bad thing in moderation and on occasion, but when it becomes a regular pattern, that’s not good and can create a vulnerability for future life.
So that leaves distracted behaviours, which are not social acceptable, although by themselves, they are the most healthy outlet for the individual - if it wasn’t for the sanctions that follow.
Let’s talk about compliance culture.
This is how we are increasingly operating in schools, and across society. Zero tolerance behaviour policies where every action, or inaction can lead to a ‘behaviour point’. Children must sit still and receive an education, and not deviate behaviourally in any respect, and definitely must not need the toilet, nor to speak out of turn. I’m speaking the extreme here, but I’m conveying how it feels for those who need to move and speak to learn.
Let’s talk about leadership Vs control.
Leadership is better, but when those in authority don’t have the skills, aptitude or attitude for it, we revert to control. And we see children who CANNOT fit being squeezed out as a result. All children benefit from leadership, but our neurodiverse one’s absolutely need it. Control doesn’t work if the demands placed on the child outstrip their ability to cope. Leadership is different, because it considers and shifts to meet needs and directs children to their potential.
Lessons delivered from within compliance (and data) culture are less engaging than when teachers are at liberty and have the resources to be creative, and adapt. Planning is clearly a good thing, but I firmly believe that the best lessons are the ones that can shift depending on what the children and young people bring to the discussion. When education is at its best, it is done WITH learners, not TO them. It’s less predictable; but it’s more meaningful. Compliance culture does not like this way of doing things, but that isn’t to the betterment of children, nor for teachers whose work has become streamlined and sterile.
So the child has to sit and be done to.
Some will cope and receive the information ready for future regurgitation. Some will ‘cope’ in the moment by first going inward and withdrawing, and then maybe by daydreaming to alleviate painful levels of boredom. And some will go further and ‘be bored out of their minds’ to a dissociative extent. Hmmmm. If that happens too often, that becomes an embedded pattern and a neurological disorder is potentially forming.
And then you have those who cannot or will not be contained in the moment exhibiting behaviours and are classified as ‘low level persistent disruption’. This is the number one reason for fixed term school exclusions. Hmmmm. If that happens too often, that becomes an embedded pattern and a behaviour or conduct disorder is potentially forming.
I‘ll stop there, even though I have more to say. I hope it’s food for thought and I look forward to reading your thoughts and experiences.
It is expected that not everyone will agree, but let’s keep it respectful.
